Athletics: Hay set to miss whole of season after hip operation

Scottish 1,500 metres champion and former National cross-country champion Ali Hay is to have a hip operation next week and may be out of action for the entire track season.

A Commonwealth Games finalist in Delhi last October, the 25-year-old Capital physio was hampered by injury in his winter training and could manage only third place in defence of his cross-country title at Falkirk last February.

"It's a bit of a long-term thing - I've had it on and off for about two years but have just got to the bottom of it now," said the Central AC member whose best time over the metric mile is 3:38.9.

Hay is not sure how long he'll be out of action but obviously wants to get the problem fixed as soon as possible, with London 2012 and Glasgow 2014 looming.

Ironically, the competition from other Capital Scots looks like being a lot hotter this summer with Edinburgh AC pair Chris O'Hare and Kris Gauson both going under four minutes indoors in the US this year and Gauson setting an outdoor Scottish rankings-leading 1,500m time of 3:40.59 in California last weekend.

• ANOTHER injury victim, Scottish women's cross-country champion Freya Murray (EAC), is keeping her fingers crossed that the worst of her problems are over.

"I don't want to put a jinx on it but I'm hoping so," said the 27-year-old engineer, who has been plagued with shin splints for much of the winter.